Mae C. Jemison blasted into orbit aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on September 12, 1992, the first woman of color to go into space. Dr. Jemison served as an astronaut for six years and was a science mission specialist conducting experiments in life sciences and material sciences and was a co-investigator of the Bone Cell Research experiment.

Prior to joining NASA in 1987, Dr. Jemison was a general practitioner in Los Angeles. She then spent time as a Peace Corps medical officer for Sierra Leone and Liberia in West Africa.

In 1993 Dr. Jemison founded The Jemison Group, Inc., which focuses on the beneficial integration of science and technology into our everyday lives. Company projects have included consulting on the design and implementation of solar thermal electricity generation systems for developing countries and the use of satellite-based telecommunications to facilitate health care delivery in West Africa.

Born in Decatur, Alabama and raised in Chicago, she entered Stanford University at the age of 16 on a scholarship. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and fulfilled the requirements for an A.B. in African and Afro-American studies. She earned her doctorate in medicine at Cornell University Medical College. Dr. Jemison was elected into the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine in 2001. She serves on the Board of Directors for Scholastic, Inc. and the Texas Governor's State Council for Science and BioTechnology Development.

The exhibit tour begins at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 7, in the M.D. Anderson Library. Following the tour and a brief Q&A, guests will have plenty of time to arrive at the Cullen Performance Hall for Dr. Jemison’s lecture starting at 7:00 p.m.